The Little River Rail Road in Doc Tom's Back Yard

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Dr Tom,

That first prototype pic looks like the inside of the b-huts we had in Afghanistan, but even they had a luxury that we couldn't get... a phone. When I first got there you could call from my office, being patched through to a naval base in who knows where and then to your number of choice. Then only 1-800 numbers worked, and good thing I kept a few of those phone cards they send to troops. When I left, you could only call inter-theater unless you either knew the right person to hack it or walked down to the phone center. Either way, pretty close to our interiors.

I noted it in my thread but didn't get a response from either yourself or Bill, but there is a train show at the TN state fairgrounds tomorrow from 9-4. We could have a Clarksville MRR Club outing day... just a thought.

Tyler

Hi Tyler,

Thanks for looking at these photos. I appreciate your interest.

What does "b-hut" stand for? You all had it pretty rough!!! These logging cabins look pretty miserable on the inside.....I can only imagine what you guys put up with.

The O scale modelers have done some pretty good interiors of logging skid shacks. Here is a "model" picture that I found doing research.

The train show sounds like fun but I am loading boxes of medical supplies for our clinic in Haiti tomorrow and will not be able to make the trip. Sorry.

So far it looks like I can make it to choo choo club Monday PM and would love to see any goodies you might get.

Doc Tom
 

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Zathros

Incredible stuff. I'm really liking this side of the forum. I am trying to figure out where I could convince my wife to put a small set up. I have a really small house, but it's going to get cold and making a set up would just be the ticket I think. I could teach my 11 year old so much. I love this stuff!! :)
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Incredible stuff. I'm really liking this side of the forum. I am trying to figure out where I could convince my wife to put a small set up. I have a really small house, but it's going to get cold and making a set up would just be the ticket I think. I could teach my 11 year old so much. I love this stuff!! :)

Hi Zathros,

Thanks for checking in. Glad you liked the recent pictures.

Model Railroading is a GREAT hobby. I have been involved with it since about 1980 and it still holds a big interest for me.

Bill Nelson, another veteran modeler and superb Zealot contributer has been doing trains longer than that. How many years now Bill???

Anyway indoors or outdoors model trains are a lot of fun and you learn a lot of interesting skills. It is truly "3D art."

Doc Tom:wave:
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
A little more work done on the "set out" cabins for the Little River loggers.

A little more work done on the "set out" cabins for the Little River loggers.

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Lars, the Swede, was getting bored with the company photography sessions and wanted to practice his axe swings. Art, the company bookkeeper, wanted to keep tabs on how many board feet is going in to the cabin so he can figure how much he can charge the future occupants per month in company scrip. And Timmie, just loves having his picture taken.

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Doc Tom and the Little River Rail Road in Tennessee
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inky

Member
Tom, This is incredible, I love your work and attention to detail. Now if you wanna come help me build mine you are more than welcome, I have about an achier and a half to work with.
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Tom, This is incredible, I love your work and attention to detail. Now if you wanna come help me build mine you are more than welcome, I have about an achier and a half to work with.

Hi Inky,

Glad you like the pictures. I did a little more work on the cabin today......pictures to follow in a little bit.

Wow and acre and a half would make one heck of a garden RR!!!

Good luck with your project.

Tom:wave:
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Forgot Something.

Forgot Something.

Paul Bee and his logging crew had an enjoyable chat with Boss Crumb and wanted to thank them for getting the set out cabin offloaded and placed at the log landing.

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It seems they forgot something in the construction. While the four walls and door look pretty tough, without a roof the upcoming winter snows could be hard to deal with even for these tough loggers.

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So after a few choice expletives Boss Crumb set the set off cabin back on the flat for a trip back to the shops.

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Doc Tom and the Little River Rail Road in Tennessee
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gbwdude

General Manager, W.R.Ry.
I wouldn't blame Boss Crumb at all for cussing the builders out at all, granted Tennessee doesn't get as cold as Wisconsin but it still does get the occasional snow. So I'm curious, did the prototype just shove the shacks off the side of the flats or did they use a whole bunch of elaborate rigging and a steam donkey to get them off?

Also I think I've got around 20 years in this hobby :)

Tyler
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't blame Boss Crumb at all for cussing the builders out at all, granted Tennessee doesn't get as cold as Wisconsin but it still does get the occasional snow. So I'm curious, did the prototype just shove the shacks off the side of the flats or did they use a whole bunch of elaborate rigging and a steam donkey to get them off?

Also I think I've got around 20 years in this hobby :)

Tyler

Hi Tyler,

I have been working on building the roof for this creation out of LEXAN. Boss Crumb is starting to relax.

Interestingly these "set out (or set off) cabins" AKA "skid shacks" or "bunk houses" were some of the first mobile homes.

They were usually off loaded by a log loader such as a Barnhart or AH&D loader that rode on rails on the flat cars that were carrying the shacks. The log loader would pick the shack up with cables, pivot and place the shack beside the track.

The shack could then be skidded to where it was needed by steam donkeys etc. A logging boom could also pick up these shacks for loading and loading if needed.

Here is a picture of an authentic AH&D loader on the grounds of the Little River RR Museum. I hope to model one of these some day.

Doc Tom
 

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Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
Not sure how the little river did it, but outfits that used Barnhart loaders used them to lift of the shacks, and it was a relatively simple and quick operation
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Not sure how the little river did it, but outfits that used Barnhart loaders used them to lift of the shacks, and it was a relatively simple and quick operation

Hi Bill,
The Little River RR did the same using AH&D log loaders as in the picture above.

Doc Tom
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Shack is finished

The boys figured out how to place and tar-paper a roof and are feeling pretty good about finishing the set out cabin for the loggers up the Little River.

Here are a few shots of the 1:20.3 model outside of 1:20.3 Townsend Tennessee and compared to the prototype shack at the Little River RR museum in prototypical Townsend Tennessee.

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The completed shack was last seen heading up the line on a flat car to shelter the loggers at Elkmont from the coming winter snows.

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Here is the prototype doing the same in the 1920's.

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Thanks for looking and HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Doc Tom Doc Tom and the Little River Rail Road in Tennessee
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Doctor G

Well-Known Member
The Shack is finished.

The boys figured out how to place and tar-paper a roof and are feeling pretty good about finishing the set out cabin for the loggers up the Little River.

Here are a few shots of the 1:20.3 model outside of 1:20.3 Townsend Tennessee and compared to the prototype shack at the Little River RR museum in prototypical Townsend Tennessee.

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DSC04644.jpg



]
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DSC04405.jpg



The completed shack was last seen heading up the line on a flat car to shelter the loggers at Elkmont from the coming winter snows.

DSC04648.jpg



Here is the prototype doing the same in the 1920's.

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Thanks for looking and HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Doc Tom Doc Tom and the Little River Rail Road in Tennessee
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Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
making a trail to get my truck deeper in the woods to get at some firewood, I cut down a little tree that had some good bark detail. I cut up some of the straighter sections for logs on the LR


I have a huge log to cut up, that will make a lot of sawdust. fo you need any for mulch?

Bill
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Hi Bill,

Yes I could use the log for loads on the LR. No need for mulch at this time.

Thanks for all your help.

Tom
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
Curly Wilson is posing with one of those logs out of the Harlow cove camp. Not the car is set on a cross section of the Black Cherry tree I had to clear a path to harvest.

in the other photo, curly is showing off the interesting texture sawdust my huge chain saw creates. This saw dust is from a small limb; cutting thin slices of the main trunk (the stuff is hard to split if cut in long pieces, is going to make a lot of this stuff, which will look real good for a while, and then turn into great soil.


if you wonder why my front yard always looks exceptionally healthy, it gets a lot of sawdust applied to it every winter.
 

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Doctor G

Well-Known Member
Curly needs to send em' on over

Curly Wilson is posing with one of those logs out of the Harlow cove camp. Not the car is set on a cross section of the Black Cherry tree I had to clear a path to harvest.

in the other photo, curly is showing off the interesting texture sawdust my huge chain saw creates. This saw dust is from a small limb; cutting thin slices of the main trunk (the stuff is hard to split if cut in long pieces, is going to make a lot of this stuff, which will look real good for a while, and then turn into great soil.


if you wonder why my front yard always looks exceptionally healthy, it gets a lot of sawdust applied to it every winter.

Hey Bill,

That would be an incredible log in 1:20.3 with great bark detail. Tell Curly to get them shipped over to the Little River Mill. We can certainly use them.

I did not know that sawdust could enhance soil. Thanks for the edumacation.

I started work on the second set out house (skid shack) this past holiday weekend.

Dr Tom
 

Doctor G

Well-Known Member
First load of logs.

FIRST LOAD OF LOGS.

My railroad buddy Mr Bill Nelson was nice enough to get me some straight "logs" from his farm. The logs have great bark detail. So I cut them to scale 15 feet long (1:20.3) and loaded them on the Bachmann 30 foot flats that have been empty for quite some time. The setting winter sun made for some interesting pictures of the Shay moving this one flat car that weighed about eight pounds (wood was still green). I was thrilled that it handled the 2% grade and nothing fell off from the trestle on this inaugural run of revenue to the mill.

Doc Tom

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Doc Tom and the Little River Rail Road in Tennessee
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